North America

Chicago wheat futures rose around 3% Wednesday, after Ukraine attacked grain terminals at the main Russian wheat exporting port of Novorossiysk. This sparked fears that supplies would be disrupted to global markets. Soybeans, corn and other grains rose in advance of a U.S. Agriculture report on world supply/demand later Wednesday. Chicago Board of Trade?most active wheat increased 3.05% at $9.49-1/2 per bushel by 0929 GMT. Soybeans increased 0.3% to $11.73-1/4 bushels, while corn rose by 0.7% to $4.63-3/4 bushels. Industry sources said that two of Russia's largest grain terminals at the Black Sea port Novorossiysk have suspended operations as a...

The Russian state news agency TASS reported that Vladimir 'Putin' said on Wednesday, Russia would respond in kind if a?European country seizes?ussian mercantile vessels. The remarks come at a time when the EU is intensifying pressure on Russia's shadow fleet. It has expanded sanctions against hundreds vessels and detained some ships for inspections. Several European governments have stated that they are exploring tougher enforcement measures against ships suspected of evading sanctions. Putin was quoted by TASS as saying that these measures were nothing less than piracy and robbery. If?this is put into practice, then we will have to retaliate in...

The Financial Times reported?on Wednesday that Ukraine had halted drone strikes on oil tanks using Russia's port at the?Black Sea, Novorossiysk, after receiving a request by U.S. Vice President JD Vance. The paper reported that the request was made last month after U.S. concerns that Ukraine destabilised oil markets and harmed U.S. companies by targeting tankers transporting crude oil piped from Kazakhstan into a Caspian?Consortium terminal at this port. The newspaper reported that Ukraine had agreed to not target CPC infrastructure or non-Russian ships as long as they were not subject to Ukrainian sanctions, and did not carry Russian oil...

On Wednesday, Mayor Andrei Kravchenko revealed on Telegram that an overnight drone attack in Novorossiysk killed a child and damaged over two dozen residential structures. Veniamin kondratyev said that eight people were injured, including a young child. Another person was killed in the attack, and several others were wounded throughout the region. Unverified Telegram posts purported to show photos of smoke and flames rising somewhere in Novorossiysk. This is a major oil export hub. Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram that more than 30 drones had been shot down in Sevastopol, a city located in the Crimea occupied by Russia. The...

According to the mayor of Novorossiysk in Russia, six residential buildings have been damaged by drone debris. On Telegram, Mayor Andrei Kravchenko stated that the injured received medical attention and that a commercial property was also damaged. Unverified posts on Telegram claimed to show photos of an enormous?tower? of flames rising from Novorossiysk. Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram that more than 30 drones had been shot down in Sevastopol, Crimea. The attack damaged a few houses, but no one was injured, the governor said. Ivan Fedorov, regional governor of the region, posted pictures of the burning building on Telegram. Fedorov...

Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation Secretary, said that he is working to fix telecom issues raised?after? a military helicopter with President Donald Trump sped too close last week to a departing passenger jet at Reagan Washington National Airport. The incident raised serious concerns about why the passenger plane?was allowed?to depart while Marine One was near, at a time when commercial traffic is usually halted. After a crash in January 2025 between a military heli and a commercial plane that killed 67, the Federal Aviation Administration banned mixed helicopter and jet traffic around the airport. Duffy, a reporter at Newark Liberty...

A regulatory filing revealed that the shipping giant MSC 'and the buyout fund BlackRock retracted their request to the European Union’s?antitrust regulator to approve their -plan to -buy the Barcelona port terminal, owned by CK Hutchison. Last December, the EU Commission, the EU's competition enforcer, launched a full-scale investigation on the grounds that the deal could lead to higher prices and a reduction in the quality of container terminal services. In the deal, Terminal Investment Limited Holding (TiL), a subsidiary of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company based in Switzerland, and BlackRock would acquire joint control over Hutchison’s terminal at Barcelona Port....

People familiar with the matter say that Blackstone Infrastructure’s Safe 'Harbor 'Marinas is close to a $1.5 Billion deal for MarineMax. The deal will end a long-running battle for the recreational yacht retailer. It caters to wealthy clients through 65 marinas, 70 dealerships and storage facilities, mainly in the United States. Last month, it was reported that activist investor Donerail as well as private equity firm Centerbridge were also bidders. Safe Harbor will pay around $53 in cash per share to purchase MarineMax, according to sources. This is a substantial premium over the closing price on Friday of $35.68. Calculations...

The agriculture ministry warned on Monday that a disruption of grain exports through Black Sea ports could lead to a shortage of grain storage capacity in Ukraine. Ukraine has harvested more than 17 millions metric tons from 34% of its sown land. The ministry stated that a storage shortage of 11 million tons could occur and it had asked U.S. Partners for assistance in acquiring equipment for temporary on farm?grain storage. APK-Inform analysts estimate that Ukraine's harvest in 2026 could reach 60 million tons. Exports are projected at 39 million tonnes, and carryover stock reaches a record 14.3 million tones....

Berkshire Hathaway started reducing its huge?stockpile in the second quarter. It invested billions of dollars in stocks, including 'Alphabet, and purchased billions more of its own. Conglomerate announced on Saturday that it repurchased $4.5 Billion of its own shares in the second quarter, and another $3.3 Billion in July. This is an acceleration of repurchases begun in March after a two-year break. Between?April to June, it bought more than $20 billion in stocks. This marked the end of 14 consecutive quarters where stocks were sold at a loss. Berkshire added $10 billion to its already large investment in Alphabet, the...

Four?industry?sources' said that a proposed deal between Iran & Oman, which would give Tehran control of ships entering the Gulf via the?Strait of Hormuz, is not easily attainable?due U.S. sanctions & restrictive insurance clauses for any?payments. The narrow waterway connecting the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, before U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in February unleashed a war on Iran, was the main route used by a fifth or more of the world's oil and other essential goods. The waterway was open to all vessels without any fees. The biggest obstacle to ending the conflict has been the control of the strait....

I Squared Capital, a global infrastructure investor, will purchase Indonesian logistics and cold storage company Cella. This marks its entry into Southeast Asia’s largest economy, as it plans to expand a lot over the next 4 or 5 years. Harsh Agrawal, senior partner at Cella and based in Miami, said that the investor wants to increase Cella's cold storage and warehouse space from 231,000 square meters to approximately 1.5 million square meters. I Squared has announced that it will purchase the entire business of NWP Property, a Japanese logistics facility specialist and CRE. The financial terms of the deal were...

Alexander Gusev said that a drone attack killed a person and injured two others overnight in the Voronezh region of 'Russia. Gusev, a Telegram user, said that Russia's air defense units destroyed 15 drones in the area of Voronezh. "A drone crashed caused fires in two warehouses of a large company. The fire at one warehouse has been contained within an area of 16 square meters. At the other, a fire covering 20,000 square metres is currently being put out. "Emergency Services are on the scene," said?the governor. He didn't identify the company that was affected. On?Tuesday?, Russian online retailer...

According to a Monday letter published by the 'Russian Central Bank,' creditors are advised to assist businesses that have been affected by Ukrainian drone attacks on warehousing and logistics centres. Ukraine has?attacked at least 20 warehouses owned by Russian ecommerce retailer Wildberries since July 18. In a letter, the regulator stated that "small and medium-sized businesses who have suffered due to terrorist attacks on warehouses, manufacturing plants, retail, offices, and other premises can apply for restructured loans." Sberbank, VTB and Wildberries Bank, which is owned by the retailer, have all announced that they are ready to help?businesses. Sergei Melamed, senior...

Shipping data revealed on Monday that two tankers?laden with Saudi oil? crossed the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the weekend. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz slowed after reports of vessel attack. Kpler data shows that the number of cargo vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait dropped to 18 on Sunday from 27 on Friday and 28 on Saturday. On July 20, the Iran-aligned Houthis announced a?maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, opening a new battlefront against the U.S. The data shows that the Suezmax tanker Lesvos, and the Very Large Crude Carrier Desh Vaibhav left the Red Sea without their...

Sinograin, China's state-owned stockpiler, said it would auction 500,000 metric tons of?imported?soybeans this Friday. This will be the first sale of such a size since January. The market is expecting the state stockpiler free up space to receive U.S. soybeans. According to a notice issued by the National Grain Trade Centre, this sale is scheduled for 1:30 pm (0530 GMT) and will offer 504,000 tons of soybeans that were produced between 2022-2025. The 'auction' is probably to clear storage space in preparation for the purchase of 25 million metric tonnes of U.S. soya beans, said Johnny Xiang of AgRadar Consulting....

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian president, said that the U.S. aerospace company Raytheon expressed interest in a joint production of Patriot interceptors. Kyiv is seeking to strengthen air defences as it tries to counter escalating Russian missile attacks. Zelenskiy said on X that he was grateful for the willingness of the company to take our partnership to a?higher level. This would allow Ukraine to co-produce with RTX some of the most important air defense assets –?Patriot interceptors. Ukraine has?asked for help? from its Western partners to build up interceptors that can down Russian ballistic rockets. It also sought agreement on securing an...

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. The?has not checked these stories or?cannot?guarantee their accuracy. Databricks, a provider of data analytics, has raised a round of strategic funding valued at $188 billion. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Taco Bell owned by Yum Brands would stop using shredded iceberg sourced from a supplier that has been linked with a parasitic outbreak causing a severe form of diarrhea and vomiting. Honda Motors will stop?the production?of its Prologue SUV, which is sold?in America?this?year. Honda Motors will not cancel sales immediately, but expects to continue them until...

Canada is experiencing more wildfires now than in mid-July of the previous two years, and the area that has been burned has increased compared to the year 2025. The majority of fires are located in remote parts of central provinces such as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. In recent years, wildfires have affected remote indigenous communities disproportionately. Indigenous Services Canada reported that 1,600 people had been evacuated due to fires in First Nations communities as of July 15, 2015. CBC News reported that the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation in northwestern Ontario, also known by its former name Collins First Nation was evacuated...

Ontario asked for federal assistance on Thursday to evacuate people from remote northern communities that were ravaged by wildfires. Smoke brought poor air quality to Toronto and the Northeastern U.S. Canada now has more active fires than in the previous two years, and has a larger burned area compared to the year 2025. The majority of fires are located in remote parts of central provinces such as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. Jill Dunlop said that Ontario's Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Jill Dunlop stated on X, "In response the the significant threat of wildland fires in the north of Ontario, the...

Toronto's air quality was the worst in the world on Wednesday, as smoke from wildfires in?northwestern?Ontario smoldered the skies and spread to the northeastern United States. Residents were warned about their health and asked to limit outdoor activity. Environment Canada reported that Toronto's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), which is classified as "very risky," was 10+. Forecasts indicated that hazardous conditions might persist until Thursday night. New York City started feeling the effects a few days before the World Cup Final in New Jersey on Sunday. Local authorities issued a warning when air quality reached a dangerous level. They urged...

Toronto's air ranked as the worst among major cities worldwide on Wednesday as smoke from wildfires in northwestern Ontario darkened skies and prompted residents to limit outdoor activity as temperatures continued to rise. Environment Canada reported that Toronto's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), which is classified as "very risky," was 10+. Forecasts indicated that hazardous conditions might persist until Thursday night. IQAir, a Swiss company that specializes in air quality, ranked Toronto the world's worst city for air quality, beating out Kinshasa, Delhi, and other cities. In recent years, wildfire smoke from Canada's north has spread to large areas of...

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have told an U.S. government agency that they are willing to sell?stakes? in smaller railroads, as part of the $85 billion proposed?merger. The deal will create the first U.S. coast to coast?freight railroad?operator. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have said that they will not be able to control the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis, Kansas City Terminal Railway or TTX Company following the merger. The railroads, which are owned jointly with other major carriers, are operated by independent management. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have said that they will divest their ownership in these...

FedEx Freight announced on Thursday that it expects its revenue to 'rise between 4% and 6% in the seven months leading up to December 31, while adjusted operating income will grow between 0.8% and 7.5%. This comes just weeks after completing a'separation? from parent FedEx Corp. FedEx Freight, based in Memphis, is the leading provider of LTL (less-than-truckload) services. Multiple shipments, from multiple customers, are transported on one truck and then routed via a network service centers where they're transferred to other trucks that have similar destinations. Freight trucking firms have reported?improved industrial demand, citing U.S. manufacturing activity that?grew for...